Greek Lemon Chicken Soup (Avgolemono)

Name: Greek Lemon Chicken Soup (Avgolemono)
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 1 h 5 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Greek
Ingredients: 2 tbsp (30 ml) extra-virgin olive oil; 1 medium (170 g) yellow onion, peeled and finely diced (about 1 cup); 2 medium (150 g) carrots, peeled and cut into ¼-inch (6 mm) dice; 2 ribs (100 g) celery ribs, cut into ¼-inch (6 mm) dice; 3 cloves (10 g) garlic cloves, minced; 8 cups (1900 ml) low-sodium chicken broth; 1¼ lb (570 g) boneless, skinless chicken breasts (or thighs), whole, trimmed of excess fat; 1 leaf (1 g) dried bay leaf; ¾ cup (150 g) orzo pasta, uncooked; 3 large (150 g) large eggs, at room temperature; ½ cup (120 ml) fresh lemon juice, from 2 large lemons, strained of seeds; 1 tsp (2 g) lemon zest, finely grated, from the same lemons (zest before juicing); ¼ cup (10 g) fresh dill, fronds finely chopped, plus extra for serving; kosher salt, to taste, start with ¾ teaspoon; black pepper, freshly ground, to taste

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

A silky, bright Greek classic: tender shredded chicken and orzo in a savory broth enriched with whisked eggs and fresh lemon juice. Tempering the eggs gives a creamy body with no cream and no scrambling.

Prep: 20 min
Cook: 45 min
Wait: 5 min
Total: 1 hr 10 min
Makes: About 9 cups (2.1 L), 6 generous bowls

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Ingredients

6 servings

2 tbsp (30 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium (170 g) yellow onion, peeled and finely diced (about 1 cup)
2 medium (150 g) carrots, peeled and cut into ¼-inch (6 mm) dice
2 ribs (100 g) celery ribs, cut into ¼-inch (6 mm) dice
3 cloves (10 g) garlic cloves, minced
8 cups (1900 ml) low-sodium chicken broth
1¼ lb (570 g) boneless, skinless chicken breasts (or thighs), whole, trimmed of excess fat
1 leaf (1 g) dried bay leaf
¾ cup (150 g) orzo pasta, uncooked
For the egg-lemon liaison
3 large (150 g) large eggs, at room temperature
½ cup (120 ml) fresh lemon juice, from 2 large lemons, strained of seeds
1 tsp (2 g) lemon zest, finely grated, from the same lemons (zest before juicing)
To finish
¼ cup (10 g) fresh dill, fronds finely chopped, plus extra for serving
kosher salt, to taste, start with ¾ teaspoon
black pepper, freshly ground, to taste

Equipment (8)

5- to 6-quart (4.7–5.7 L) heavy pot or Dutch oven with lid
Large mixing bowl (at least 3-quart / 2.8 L)
Whisk
Ladle
Instant-read thermometer
Citrus juicer and fine grater (Microplane)
Cutting board and chef's knife
Two forks for shredding

Steps

Before you start

Set the 3 eggs out on the counter 30 minutes ahead (or sit them in warm tap water for 10 minutes) so they are not fridge-cold when you temper them.
Juice and zest the lemons before you start cooking. The egg-lemon step moves fast and you need the juice ready.
Read the egg-lemon step (step 7) fully first. The key rules: add hot broth slowly, and never let the finished soup boil.
Have a instant-read thermometer handy for the chicken and the finished soup.

1
Prep the ingredients
- Finely zest the lemons into a small bowl (1 teaspoon), then juice them and strain out seeds; you need ½ cup (120 ml) juice.
- Dice the onion, carrots and celery into ¼-inch (6 mm) pieces and mince the garlic.
- Chop the dill.
- Leave the eggs on the counter.
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Ready when: Vegetables are in even, small dice; lemon juice measures ½ cup.
Tip: Zest the lemons before juicing them. Zesting a squeezed lemon is much harder.
2
Soften the vegetables
- Heat the olive oil in the pot over medium heat for 1 minute until it shimmers.
- Add the onion, carrots, celery and a pinch of salt.
- Cook, stirring every minute or so, for 7 minutes.
- Add the garlic and cook 30 seconds more.
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Ready when: Onion is translucent and soft, carrots slightly tender, garlic fragrant but not browned.
Tip: Lower the heat if anything starts to brown; browned vegetables give a darker, less delicate soup.
3
Poach the chicken
- Pour in the broth, add the bay leaf and nestle in the whole chicken pieces so they are submerged.
- Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to low, partly cover, and simmer gently (small bubbles only) for 16–20 minutes.
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Ready when: Thickest part of the chicken reads 165°F (74°C) and the meat is white throughout with no pink.
Tip: A hard boil makes poached chicken tough and stringy. Keep the simmer lazy.
4
Remove chicken, return to boil
- Transfer the chicken to a cutting board with tongs and let it cool for about 5 minutes.
- Meanwhile, raise the heat to high and bring the broth back to a full boil.
- Discard the bay leaf.
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Ready when: Broth is at a steady rolling boil.
5
Cook the orzo
- Stir in the orzo and reduce the heat to medium so the soup boils gently.
- Cook uncovered for 8–9 minutes, stirring occasionally so the pasta doesn't stick to the bottom, until the orzo is just tender with a slight bite.
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Ready when: Orzo is tender with a slight bite; taste one grain to check.
Tip: Slightly undercook it. The pasta keeps absorbing broth and softens further after the eggs go in.
6
Shred the chicken
- While the orzo cooks, shred the cooled chicken into bite-size pieces with two forks.
- Set it aside.
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Ready when: Chicken pulls apart easily into small, tender shreds.
7
Make and temper the egg-lemon mix
- Turn the heat under the pot to its lowest setting.
- In the large bowl, whisk the eggs vigorously for 1 minute until pale and frothy.
- Slowly whisk in the lemon juice and zest.
- Then, whisking constantly with one hand, ladle in about 1 cup (240 ml) of hot broth in a thin, slow trickle.
- Repeat with a second cup of broth, also slowly.
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Ready when: Mixture is smooth, warm, pale yellow and fully blended with no streaks or cooked egg bits.
Tip: Pour the hot broth slowly while whisking nonstop. Adding it too fast scrambles the eggs.
8
Combine and gently thicken
- Remove the pot from the heat.
- Slowly pour the tempered egg mixture into the pot while stirring constantly.
- Add the shredded chicken.
- Return the pot to the lowest heat and stir gently for 2–3 minutes, until the soup looks creamy and slightly thickened and a thermometer reads 160°F (71°C).
- Do not let it boil.
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Ready when: Soup is opaque, pale gold, coats the back of a spoon lightly, and reads 160°F (71°C). Steam rises but no bubbles break the surface.
Tip: If the soup boils after the eggs are in, it can curdle. Pull it off the heat if you see bubbles.
9
Season and rest
- Off the heat, stir in the dill.
- Season with salt (start with ¾ teaspoon) and plenty of black pepper, tasting and adjusting.
- Let the soup sit, covered, for 5 minutes so the flavors meld and the texture settles.
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Ready when: Bright lemony aroma; tastes savory with a clear tang. Add a squeeze more juice only if needed.
Tip: Season at the end. The broth reduced slightly and the lemon changes how salty it tastes.
10
Serve
- Ladle into warm bowls, making sure each gets plenty of chicken and orzo.
- Top with extra dill and a crack of pepper.
- Serve right away.
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Tip: Warm the bowls with hot tap water first to keep the soup hot without further cooking.

Good to know

Tips

Use fresh lemon juice. Bottled juice tastes flat and can be harsher.
Keep the soup below a boil once the eggs are in. Gentle heat gives a silky, creamy body; boiling curdles it.
Poaching the chicken in the broth itself flavors both, so don't skip that step or cook it separately.
For a thicker, more stew-like soup, add 2 extra tablespoons orzo; for a lighter soup, reduce the orzo to ½ cup (100 g).

Make ahead

"Make the soup through step 6 (chicken shredded, orzo cooked) up to 2 days ahead and refrigerate. Reheat to a gentle simmer, then do the egg-lemon steps fresh just before serving for the best texture."

Storage & reheating

"Room temperature: no more than 2 hours. Refrigerator: airtight container up to 3 days; the orzo will absorb broth and thicken, so thin with a splash of broth or water. Freezer: not recommended once the eggs are added, as the texture can turn grainy. Reheat gently in a pot over low heat, stirring, to about 165°F (74°C); never boil."

Substitutions

orzo pasta → long-grain white rice (½ cup / 100 g). Traditional alternative; simmer 15–18 minutes until tender, then continue as written.
boneless, skinless chicken breasts (or thighs) → bone-in chicken breasts or thighs (about 2 lb / 900 g). Simmer 30–35 minutes until 165°F (74°C) (175°F / 79°C for thighs), then remove skin and bones before shredding.
fresh dill → fresh flat-leaf parsley or fresh mint. Use the same amount; mint is common in some Greek versions.
orzo pasta → gluten-free orzo or small gluten-free pasta. Check package time; gluten-free pasta can turn mushy, so cook it just until tender.